Migratory Grief: An International Comparison of Migrants from Ireland, Venezuela, and Poland
Summary
This study compared rates of migratory grief among a sample of migrants originally from Poland, Ireland, and Venezuela. The influence of participants’ motivation to migrate on rates of migratory grief was examined, along with the influence of their home culture and their gender. The Migratory Grief and Loss Questionnaire (Casado & Leung, 2002) was used to measure migratory grief. Results found the Venezuelan sample to have the highest levels of migratory grief. Push and pull factors in the decision to migrate were found to contribute significantly to migratory grief, though push factors accounted for more of this effect. Participants from more collectivistic societies and women displayed higher rates of migratory grief. Polish participants, including women, were found to have lower rates of migratory grief than Irish participants, a result which was not expected. Small effect sizes underline the need for further research on the factors that contribute to the grief of the migrant experience.